This photo was taken on my recent sojourn to South India with an local friend. The chance for me to see through her eyes was an opportunity that I jumped at and, on our 7 hr. bus ride from Bangalore to Pondicherry, asked her to explain the Hindu caste system to me.
People are born into their caste according to previous Karma (activities). Although the system is loosening evidenced by "untouchables" reaching high ranking government positions there is still a strong family rule to marry within your own caste.
The skeleton of this hierarchy is:
Brahman = intellectual and spiritual people, peaceful austerity
Ksatriya = warriors and leaders, heroes
Vaisya = business people, traders and farmers, cow protectors
Sudra = sweepers, unskilled labour
Outside of the castes are the untouchables.
I was deeply moved by the work of Narayanan Krishnan - here is a CNN clip of this Brahman helping untouchables.
